Friday, August 25, 2006

Colorado adventures and an anniversary

I am home again after a week in Colorado for the Folks Fest and some good visits to some good people. The festival was great. The highlights for me were The Waifs, Paul Kelly, Ani DiFranco (not entirely visible in the picture, but I like it anyway), Blue Rodeo, and Jane Siberry (who is actually now Issa). I volunteered in the box office and met some lovely guys named Carl and Bill. And I ran into Deidre, my roommate from when I lived in Boulder 10 years ago. In the Pea Green Dyke Den. When we were young and we consumed a lot of Jello shots, among other things. It was good to see her, find out that she has two kids now, and see that she still loves Ani just as much as always. I also got to spend some more good time with Steve, Ani's FOH sound engineer and production manager, an incredibly sweet guy. Also talked to her road manager, who I turned out to have some old friends in common with.

The most productive parts were talking to some Planet Bluegrass people about a possible job there next season, so that I can learn about running music fesitvals... They were quite positive about that possibility. And... I got the first funding for my own festival that I have been planning and scheming about for a while. A songwriter festival near Portland to be held (in 2008?), in part, to honor Dave Carter. Pretty crazy to think it might really work...

Before the festival I saw Bindu (my step-brother, or ex-step-brother) for one night before he want to London on business. Afterwards I stayed a few nights with his sweet girlfriend, Jeanne, in their new house in North Boulder. Also spent a night each with Beth and Darryl in Nederland. A beautiful town this time of year. The only time it's not winter... It was so good to see Beth and her adorable puppy dog (I just typed god, that maybe also be true), Stella. And cool to see Darryl's house with it's great view of the mountains, and talk about music festival schemes (as well as go for a walkin East Boulder and chase prairie dogs....). (So from top: Ani, Jane Siberry, me, Bindu at the new vegetarian restaurant in Boulder, Beth and Stella, Darryl, cute prairie dog.)

The first time I drove past the Boulder County Justice Center I thought they must be having some kind of street fair out there. The parking lot was full of tents, RVs, and people. And then I realized it was just the JonBenet media circus. Funny that I happened to be in town when that story was back in the news again, since I lived there in 96 when it first happened. I suppose I hope they solve it now, but really the media is just too much.... Beth thought it might be best to sell cookies to all of them camped out there, they way she used to at Dead shows...

Now I am home, desperately surfing Craigslist for a place to live... So glad to see my kitty cat, Emma Lou. She and I just went upstairs for dinner with our neighbors, Abigail and Aubrey. Abigail cooked us all up some pesto with basil from her community garden plot... And we finished my port. Yum.

Also, today is the 16th anniversay of my mother's death. I haven't really done anything particular to mark it, but I have been aware of it all day. I remember that day quite clearly. How Emily had slept over the night before, and my grandmother came in in the morning while we were both still in my bed to say softly, "Your mother is gone." And later I went over to see her, and my cat, Oreo, didn't understand why she was so still. It was a hot day. And a few weeks later I turned 15. Its a bit crazy to think it's been so long. I still think about her all the time; I suppose I always will.

Here's a picture of my mom on Cape Cod from sometime in the early 80s. She was on a bike trip with her friends, I think I was at summer camp.